Yakuza Kiwami 3 Remake and Dark Ties Confirmed at RGG Summit 2025

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has confirmed the development of Yakuza Kiwami 3 during the RGG Summit 2025, which took place ahead of the Tokyo Game Show. The reveal came only days after an accidental leak on the studio’s website and coincides with the twentieth anniversary of the Like a Dragon series. Alongside the remake, the team also introduced Yakuza 3: Dark Ties, a new companion story. Both titles were showcased with official trailers during the live event.

Originally released for PlayStation 3 in 2009 in Japan and 2010 in other regions, Yakuza 3 told the story of Kazuma Kiryu as he worked to protect the Morning Glory orphanage in Okinawa while also confronting threats in Kamurocho, the fictional counterpart to Tokyo’s Kabukicho. It additionally introduced Ryukyu, a district based in Naha, Okinawa. Although regarded as an important entry, its launch was noted for limited side content and combat systems that felt outdated.

The upcoming remake has been rebuilt entirely on the Dragon Engine, first used in Yakuza 6. This update brings modern graphics, new gameplay systems, and extended narrative scenes. Players will experience both Kamurocho and Ryukyu again, now with enhanced visuals and additional detail. Japanese and English voice tracks are both confirmed.

One of the major differences in Yakuza Kiwami 3 is the casting of actor Teruyuki Kagawa as Go Hamazaki. Kagawa, well known for his Kabuki career, provides both voice and facial capture, replacing the original design of the character. He introduced his role in a video message shown at the event. Other confirmed voices include Takaya Kuroda returning as Kazuma Kiryu, Shido Nakamura as Yoshitaka Mine, Satoshi Tokushige as Daigo Dojima, and Ryo Ishibashi as Shigeru Nakahara. Additional roles will be performed by Show Kasamatsu as Rikiya Shimabukuro and Hiroyuki Miyasako as Tsuyoshi Kanda.

Along with the remake, Yakuza 3: Dark Ties was announced as a Gaiden-style side story – the expansion places Yoshitaka Mine in the lead role, focusing on his shift from a venture company founder and business elite into the underworld. Director Masayoshi Yokoyama explained that the expansion tells Mine’s original story as the antagonist of Yakuza 3, showing how he began stepping into the criminal world “where schemes and bonds unfold.” The story remains set in Kamurocho and highlights his ties with Tsuyoshi Kanda.

Both Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties will release together as a set, selectable from the main menu. Sega confirmed the launch date as February 12, 2026, across Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Digital pre-orders are now available, with physical editions expected to follow soon.

The trailers presented during the summit displayed enhanced graphics and gameplay in line with other recent titles such as Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Scenes from Dark Ties were also included, showing early glimpses of Mine’s storyline. While some online reactions discussed changes to certain character models, the remake and expansion were largely met with positive feedback.

This latest announcement follows the earlier remakes Yakuza Kiwami (2016) and Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017). Both are scheduled to arrive on Nintendo Switch 2 on November 13, 2025. The platform also recently received Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, and Kiwami and Kiwami 2 will be offered as separate physical releases in the form of Game-Key Cards.